STATEMENT BY THE SPOKESPERSON

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Beijing, China

January 21, 2003

Excerpts

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Q: How does China view the demonstrations across the world to protest the possible US attack against Iraq?

A: On the Iraqi question, we stand for political and diplomatic solution within the UN framework. Iraq should observe relevant UN Security Council resolution in full and in real earnest. We support the efforts of the international community to solve the question politically.

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Q: Foreign Minister Tang said recently that the UN weapon inspectors need more time. Does it mean to have more time to find nuclear weapons or more time to solve the Iraqi question through diplomatic means?

A: Minister Tang made it clear to the correspondents in New York that we should respect the opinions of the UN weapon inspectors and that if they think more time is needed to inspect and to make judgment on questions concerning Iraq then the members of the Security Council should respect. We think that in the past one month or more, the UN inspectors have inspected over 100 sites in Iraq and the inspection is on the whole smooth. Their work should continue. As to whether Iraq has weapons of mass destruction, we think that no conclusion should be jumped at now. Members of the Security Council are waiting for the report put forward by the inspectors and the Security Council will further review the question.

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Q: The US is bent on taking military actions against Iraq that has no nuclear weapons and on the other hand, only shows security concern over the DPRK that might have nuclear weapons. Does the Chinese side think it contradiction on the US handling of the two questions?

A: I think your question is more suitable to be answered by scholars. As to our position, China stands for political and diplomatic solution of the Iraqi question within the UN framework; and on the DPRK nuclear question, we stand for peace and stability and denuclearization of the Korean peninsula and dialog to solve the relevant question..